MSK & Arthritis News

Environmental sustainability in orthopaedics

New white paper on environmental sustainability in orthopaedic surgery & MSK Health

Orthopaedic Research and The British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA) have co-authored a white paper on environmental sustainability in orthopaedic surgery and MSK Health.

As one of the largest areas of expenditure for the NHS, including 25% of the UK’s surgical workload, musculoskeletal (MSK) health has to be at the forefront of efforts to achieve a net zero NHS. The white paper summarises initiatives across healthcare, and specifically within MSK health to reduce its overall carbon footprint and provides case studies on practical ways in which clinical teams are embracing more environmentally sustainable practices, whilst maintaining standards of care.…

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Managing children’s chronic non-cancer pain better

Health researchers at the University of Stirling are calling for an overhaul of services for children living with chronic pain.

A new study, led by Dr Emma France and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, found children are often left without effective pain management and struggle to access support from health services.

The research, which was carried out over a three-year period, is the first to specifically look at all the research about how children living with chronic pain and their families are experiencing pain and pain management.…

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Karen Middleton: the past and future of MSK Physiotherapy

The Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM) has been very fortunate to have Karen Middleton, recently retired as CEO of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, as its President for many years and we thank her for her valuable contribution to SOMM and wish her well as she retires from that role as well.

Professor Karen Middleton CBE was the CSP’s first woman chief executive, and also the first to be a member of the physiotherapy profession.

She was made a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) for advancing the physiotherapy profession, developing leadership capacity and promoting professionalism, through her role as Chief Allied Health Profession Officer at NHS England, before joining the CSP as Chief Executive in February 2014.…

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CCAA Family Residential Support Weekend 2024

The CCAA Family Support weekend is organised for the children and families that live with the effects of JIA. For over 25 years, CCAA have been organising weekends of fun activities for the kids and informative support sessions, led by Health Professionals, for the parents. Not only is the weekend a unique opportunity for your family to meet and share experiences with other families, the children meet others in similar situations, realising they are not alone and often leave with lasting friendships.…

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Arthritis Action launches new three-year strategy

Focusing on improving daily life with arthritis for all

UK Charity Arthritis Action has released its new three-year strategy setting out key objectives to improve daily life with arthritis for all, through self-management. The plan, which builds on its previous 2021-2023 strategy, highlights six key strategic priorities.

Arthritis has traditionally been seen as a condition of older age. Central to Arthritis Action’s aims are to reach more young adults across the UK and support more people in work of all ages.…

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New FSEM Diploma in Exercise Medicine

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM UK) has launched a new Diploma in Exercise Medicine.

This Diploma sets the standard for Exercise Medicine knowledge across the breadth of healthcare professions, a benchmark against which both commissioners and patients can quality assure.

Learn more about the course and apply here.

Applications Close: 26th January 2024

Exam Date: 28th February 2024

Further information on the diploma, including Exam Regulations, Syllabus and Candidate Protocol can also be found on the website.…

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Celebrating success

ARMA CEOby Sue Brown, CEO ARMA

At the end of each year, I look back and reflect on what ARMA has achieved in the past 12 months. It’s easy to lose sight of the positive – things go well, we move on and tackle another challenge. So it’s good to remind ourselves what’s happened in the previous year.

To be honest I had forgotten our lecture earlier in the year, on the theme of Community Powered MSK. Looking back, I remember the feedback we had describing it as amazing, insightful, thought provoking, refreshing, inspiring and innovative.…

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Applications open for ORUK/NJR/RCSEng Research Fellowship

Applications are now open for a joint research fellowship funded by Orthopaedic Research UK, National Joint Registry and The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

The fellowship is open to pre-CCT candidates aiming to propose a research project aligned with NJR’s broad strategic objectives.

The deadline for applications is 5 February 2024.

Visit oruk.org for further information.

New paper shows impact and value of community-based MSK care

A paper evaluating the effectiveness of the ESCAPE-pain programme delivered in community centres – “Community‐based care for people with chronic knee and hip pain: Preliminary clinical outcomes and healthcare utilisation for ESCAPE‐pain” – shows the positive impact of the programme on levels of participant activity. Before the programme, only 24% of participants were classified as ‘fairly active/active’ (doing more than 30 minutes of activity per week); after the programme, 78% were classified as ‘fairly active/active’; 6 months later, 69% were still ‘fairly active/active’.…

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